PARK RAPIDS – A 13-0 run in the first half provided some separation as Detroit Lakes didn’t trail in a 60-46 Mid-State Conference victory over the Park Rapids girls basketball team at the Area High School gym on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
Three-pointers by Abby Morris, Gabi Shepersky and Tori Weaver rallied the Panthers to a 9-9 tie with 12:59 to play in the first half before Detroit Lakes took the lead for good on layups by Ellie Lunde and Grace Gunderson. After a layup by Anna Yliniemi made it 13-11 at the 7:35 mark, the Lakers went on a 13-0 run sparked by three layups by Ella Okeson for a 26-11 advantage with 1:58 remaining before the break. Layups by Halle Eischens and Yliniemi cut the gap to 26-15 before a 3-pointer by Jacee Hauser gave the Lakers a 29-15 lead at the half.
A pair of 3-pointers by Weaver, a layup by Mickey Clark and a putback by Shepersky sliced the deficit to 40-31 with 12:18 to play. Two layups by Abby Larson helped push the Lakers’ lead to 50-33 at the 7:10 mark. Three 3-pointers by Shepersky and two baskets by Yliniemi were offset by a pair of 3-pointers and a basket off a rebound by Hauser as the Lakers maintained a double-digit lead.
Shepersky (14), Yliniemi (10) and Weaver (9) combined for 33 points for the Panthers, who went 8 for 17 on 3-pointers. Olivia Davis and Yliniemi grabbed five rebounds each, Morris and Weaver had four steals each, and Morris dished out five assists as Park Rapids fell to 5-4 in the conference and 11-12 overall. Detroit Lakes also defeated the Panthers 52-34 on Jan. 28.
Hauser posted a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds while Larson chipped in 15 points, six assists and five steals for the Lakers, who improved to 7-2 against conference opponents and 10-12 overall.
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DETROIT LAKES: Larson 7 0-3 15, Daggett 2 0-0 4, Okeson 3 1-4 7, Bettcher 3 0-0 6, Gunderson 2 2-4 6, Lunde 1 0-3 2, Hauser 8 0-0 20. Totals: 26 for 68 (FG), 3 for 14 (FT).
PARK RAPIDS: Clark 1 2-2 4, Morris 1 1-2 4, Weaver 3 0-0 9, Davis 0 1-4 1, Harmon 0 0-2 0, Maninga 1 0-1 2, Shepersky 5 0-0 14, Yliniemi 4 2-2 10, Eischens 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 for 48 (FG), 6 for 13 (FT).
Halftime: Detroit Lakes 29, Park Rapids 15. Three-pointers: Larson 1, Hauser 4, Morris 1, Weaver 3, Shepersky 4. Team fouls: Detroit Lakes 14, Park Rapids 15. Rebounds: Park Rapids 23 (Davis 5, Yliniemi 5, Morris 3, Maninga 3, Shepersky 3, Harmon 2, Clark 1, Weaver 1). Assists: Park Rapids 14 (Morris 5, Eischens 3, Clark 2, Weaver 1, Davis 1, Maninga 1, Yliniemi 1). Steals: Park Rapids 13 (Morris 4, Weaver 4, Harmon 2, Clark 1, Davis 1, Shepersky 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 5 (Morris 2, Harmon 2, Yliniemi 1). Turnovers: Detroit Lakes 20, Park Rapids 21.
